In order to make a terminal device into a connectable state to a communication line, such as Internet, various information exemplified by user names, passwords, and Access Point Name (APN) to access a server disposed on the communication line needs to be set in the terminal device.
Generally, a network operator (communication carrier) sells mobile terminals being set an APN compatible with the communication carrier therein. The setting (hereinafter also called APN setting) of the APN is written into a communication module (Long Term Evolution (LTE) module) provided in the terminal device.
On the other hand, a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) uses lines (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “carrier line”) that such an above communication carrier provides, but uses servers of its own. In general, an MVNO user is provided with a terminal device in the state of not being set the APN therein.
Therefore, the MVNO user needs to set the APN in the terminal device by his/her self. Specifically, the user starts the operating system (OS) of the terminal device and writes the value of APN setting compatible with the MVNO into the communication module of the terminal device.
For example, in purchasing a large number of terminal devices, a purchaser such as a company, sometimes requests a vender to supply the terminal devices being set APN therein. If the number of terminal devices to be supplied is close to the number of production lot of the communication modules, communication modules satisfying the requested specification are produced and incorporated to the terminal device to be supplied. However, if the number of terminal device to be supplied is much less than the number of production lot, the vender needs to set APN in each individual terminal device.
In a traditional terminal device, the APN is set by starting the OS of the device and then executing the dedicated application to APN setting.
[Patent Literature 1] Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2011-151564
[Patent Literature 2] Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2006-157815
[Patent Literature 3] Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2015-76775
In traditional techniques, setting an APN by starting OS and subsequent executing an application in several terminal devices has caused no problem. However, when the number of terminal devices is increased to several dozens, it has taken considerable time and been cumbersome to start the OSs in individual terminal devices.